


Sun Burns Down

by LokiLover84



Category: VIXX
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Character Turned Into a Ghost, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-03 02:02:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17274995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiLover84/pseuds/LokiLover84
Summary: Hakyeon deals with mental issues, Taekwoon is an (un)helpful ghost, Jaehwan is his usual hyper self but can be useful when he wants to be. Wonshik likes Hakyeon but that's a lot to put up with. Will they survive the insanity?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yea, so this is playing like a B Japanese BL movie in my head, and I'm doing my best to transcribe what my own messed up brain is giving me to work with. Be patient with me! :)

_ A small cough coming from the bed next to mine pulls me from my slumber. It’s a deep cough, a lung-rattling thing, and I can hear the quiet but fearful gasps between each sound. Somehow I know that the person is young, maybe younger than me. But it’s impossible to know without looking, so a reach out, a little hesitantly, and tug on the curtain separating our two beds. It slides back with difficulty, the angle all wrong for moving the fabric, but when the kid comes in to view, I gasp.  _

 

_ It’s clear that he’s sick-his body is far too slender, eye sunk into his head, and his hair is hanging in damp strands around his face. He’s got his too-skinny arms wrapped around his waist, as if he’s trying to hold himself together. His little shoulders shake as he fights to bring his coughing under control, and slowly his breathing smooths out, and he sighs in relief and resignation. Slowly, his head comes up and he turns his almond eyes to me.  _

 

_ I can’t help the quiet gasp that escapes me under the full weight of that leonine gaze. They’re eyes of an old soul, one who has seen far too much in their short life, and if you look deep enough, there’s also sadness, a hurt too deep for words or tears, the look of someone who is facing their own mortality and knows that no matter what they do, they can’t prevail against Death.  _

 

_ Then his lips curve in a warm smile, and I lose my heart to him in that moment. It lights up his face, and the shadows retreat. I’m startled, but after a moment I offer back my own shy smile.  _

 

_ “Hi! I’m Taekwoon!” _

 

_ He thrusts out a tiny hand, and I take it, shaking it gently as I feel the impossibly slender bones beneath the skin.  _

 

_ “H-Hakyeon.” _

 

_ He nods.  _

 

_ “Nice to meet you, Hakyeon. So, what are you in for?” _

 

_ The question, asked with a drop in voice as if he’s trying to imitate a prison inmate from a TV show makes me giggle, and his smile grows.  _

 

_ “I-ah, I really don’t like to talk about it.” _

 

_ He nods sagely.  _

 

_ “That’s cool. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’m here for a bone marrow transplant. I have leukemia.” _

 

_ The way he says it, casually, as if it’s no big deal, but I can feel the blood drain from my face. I’ve only known him for a handful of moments, but I can feel my heart contract, as if it’s being squeezed by a huge, unforgiving hand. I wheeze out a breath, and instantly he’s alert.  _

 

_ “Hey, look at me.” _

 

_ His voice comes out sharp and firm, and I can’t not look. My eyes snap up to meet his, and the determination in them is clear.  _

 

_ “Breathe. Look at my chest, try to match the rhythm.” _

 

_ My gaze falls to his chest, the fluttering of his pyjama shirt showing the rise and fall of his slender torso. I’m hypnotised by it, and slowly my inhale and exhale matches his, the pain in my chest subsiding until I sigh in relief.  _

 

_ “Better?” _

 

_ I nod.  _

 

_ “H-how did you know to do that?” _

 

_ “I have an aunt who’s a nurse. She taught me that trick a long time ago, when I felt like I couldn’t breathe.” _

 

_ He shrugs before he twists his upper half away from me, digging amongst the bedcovers and smiling triumphantly when he holds up a deck of cards.  _

 

_ “Know how to play?” _

 

_ The game is a simple one, and I nod.  _

 

_ “Great. Um, can I come sit with you? It’s kinda hard to play so far away.” _

 

_ He doesn’t wait for my answer, merely scrambles from his bed into mine, settling cross legged at the foot before he deals the cards.  _

  
  


“Hakyeon. Hakyeon! Oi,  _ hyung!” _

 

The screech jerks Hakyeon from his daze and he blinks rapidly, turning his head to look at the man who is his best friend. Although, man might be a stretch-more like a large child stuck in the form of a late adolescent. Hakyeon grins at the thought, and Jaehwan frowns. 

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

Hakyeon shakes his head as he sits up, eyes readjusting to the bright daylight that was blocked by his closed eyes. He’s wasted his whole lunch break, he knows, but he didn’t sleep well last night. He neglected to take one of his prescribed sleeping pills, but he’s been needing them less and less lately, and he thought that he’d be able to keep up the streak of nights undisturbed by the same dream. 

 

Too bad it didn’t work.

 

He yawns, rubbing a hand over his face. 

 

“What time is it?”

 

Jaehwan groans, sliding his phone from his pocket-something Hakyeon could easily have done himself to check the time. Pressing the button, Jaehwan answers. 

 

“We have about ten minutes before we have to head back in.”

 

Hakyeon nods, grabbing his bag and pulling it close, before digging in the depths and pulling out a bag of trail mix. It doesn’t strictly count as a meal, but with no time to eat properly, it’ll have to do. He unzips the bag, reaches in and pulls out a handful before tossing a few pieces in his mouth. As he munches, he offers Jaehwan some, but the sugar-addicted teen merely wrinkles his nose and turns away, making Hakyeon laugh. If there’s the least bit of nutritional value in something offered to him, Jaehwan always acts as if he’s been offered slugs or something equally repulsive. 

 

Jaehwan sighs as he flops down next to the older man.

 

“So. Didn’t sleep last night?”

 

It’s an innocent question, or would be coming from anyone else, but Hakyeon has known Jaehwan since third grade, and there’s no point in trying to hide what the younger man already knows. 

 

“No. But I’m getting better. I can go several days in a row now without taking my sleeping pills.”

 

Jaehwan gives him a side look before nodding and glancing away. 

 

“Well, that’s good, right? I mean, given time, maybe you’ll be able to stop taking them altogether.”

 

Hakyeon nods, taking another mouthful of mix, chewing thoughtfully. When he swallows, he holds out his hand.

 

“Give me a drink.”

 

Jaehwan pulls a bottle of water from his bag and hands it over silently. Hakyeon uncaps it, takes a long pull, then twists the lid back on and hands it back. Jaehwan tucks it away as Hakyeon puts the bag of mix back into his own bag, before standing up and offering Jaehwan a hand. The warning bell sounds behind them and Jaehwan offers a wan smile. 

 

“Back to the grind, huh?”

 

Hakyeon suddenly feels overwhelmed, the feeling coming out of nowhere to slam into him. The thought of going back inside, the walls closing in around him, make a cold sweat break out on his forehead, and his fingers clench as his eyes widen. He feels the familiar rush of chemicals, his fight or flight response kicking in, and he freezes, balanced on the edge of a knife. Jaehwan, finely tuned in to Hakyeon’s moods after so many years, notices after only a heartbeat, and he turns to fully face the older man. 

 

“Hakyeon. Look at me.”

 

_ Hakyeon, look at me.  _

 

_ Breathe with me.  _

 

Hakyeon’s eyes fall to Jaehwan’s chest, not seeing it but instead the small chest of a boy who doesn’t exist anymore. It rises and falls, and Hakyeon tries to match it. 

 

“That’s it, deep breaths. Good, you’re gonna be ok hyung.”

 

Hakyeon blinks, the vision fading, and looks into Jaehwan’s concerned eyes. 

 

“God.”

 

Jaehwan smirks. 

 

“Jaehwan to you.”

 

Hakyeon grins despite himself, his chest loosening further. 

 

“Go home, hyung. I’ll make an excuse for you.”

 

Hakyeon hates it when Jaehwan beats him to what he was thinking, but at the moment, it’s ok. He nods gratefully, gathering his bag and turning to go. 

 

“Don’t forget to take good notes in class, ok? I’ll need them for our test next week.”

 

Jaehwan rolls his eyes-his note taking abilities are legend, thank you very much, even if it  _ is  _ for the wrong reason, but for Hakyeon he’d do anything. He watches the older man go, until he disappears from sight down the gentle slope of the hill toward the city, and turns to go only when the final bell chimes. 

 

Hakyeon lets himself into the apartment he shares with his mother, thankful that she has to work today. She always worries about her only child, but even more so when he comes home in the middle of the day. He doesn’t want her to worry any more than she already has to, so usually he would have stayed at school, but today he’s off the hook. He closes the door behind him, kicking off his shoes and padding down the hall to the kitchen. He passes both his bedroom and his mother’s on the way there, glancing in as he does, a habit he’s had since the days he had to spend in the hospital. It’s a way to ground himself, a reassurance that everything is the same as it was this morning, and so everything is ok. He knows that the state of a room has no bearing on the health and safety of either of the apartment’s occupants, but it’s soothing nonetheless. Maybe it’s an OCD thing, he doesn’t know or much care. It makes him feel better and so he’ll continue to do it. 

 

He crosses the kitchen, pulling open the fridge door and taking out a dish of leftovers. He grabs a plate from the cabinet, a spoon and fork from the drawer, and dishes himself up a helping, making sure to leave enough for his mother to heat for dinner. He pops it in the microwave, watching as the turntable spins, opening it before it can beep. He snags the plate and a bottle of water and carries it to his room. Flicking on the light, he gasps in shock. The plate slips nervelessly from his fingers, the food splattering across his rug as the plate clatters. The figure on his bed turns to face him, and the blood drains from his face so fast he feels dizzy. 

 

_ Those eyes. He could never forget them, not even if he lives to be a hundred. Those same soft lips, curved in a smile just the way they do now, only the face, the body, is older, near his own age.  _

 

_ It’s a hallucination, Hakyeon knows, but it looks so  _ real.  _ And he’s never seen Taekwoon his own age before-he’s always been a child. God, his brain is fried.  _

 

“Hello, Hakyeon.”

 

Hakyeon moans, bringing his empty hand up to rub at his forehead. He can’t feel the pain that usually comes with these episodes, but maybe it’s there and he’s just too in shock to process it. 

 

“Are you alright?”

 

A panicked giggle escapes from him, and Hakyeon shakes his head. 

 

“Oh god, I’m losing it.”

 

There’s a soft noise and Hakyeon’s head snaps up, pinning Taekwoon-no, the illusion of Taekwoon, he has to keep as many things straight as he can, it always helps shorten the episodes- with a glare. 

 

“Why won’t you leave me alone?”

 

Taekwoon’s-no, dammit, the  _ illusion-  _ eyes widen. 

 

“What are you talking about, Hakyeon? I haven’t been here before.”

 

“Oh, bullshit!”

 

Hakyeon knows better than to talk to what he’s imagining, he’s been told that by countless therapists, but he’s in his own home, not out in public, no one is going to see him, or hear him, go crazy. Taekwoon’s eyes grow even wider at his outburst. 

 

“Hakyeon. What’s wrong?”

 

_ What’s wrong?  _

 

Oh, god, he’s really slipped this time. He’s never heard his illusion speak, never seen it as an adult, but certainly it’s never wondered what was wrong with him, as if his own brain didn’t know what was happening to itself. 

 

“What’s wrong? Oh, that’s rich. My own brain is so confused that it doesn’t even know what it’s doing anymore. Jesus, I’m losing it. They’re gonna lock me in a padded cell.”

 

A small sob bursts from his lips, and suddenly there’s a soft hand on his shoulder, warmth seeping through his shirt _.  _ Hakyeon’s eyes come up to meet those familiar eyes and he cracks. 

 

“Taekwoon?”

 

The lips curve into a smile. 

 

“Hi.”


	2. Chapter 2

A low moan escapes from Hakyeon’s throat, and he moves automatically to pick up the plate, his brain racing. But he thinks,  _ hopes,  _ that if he goes on with the mundane tasks he knows he needs to deal with, he’ll snap out of this. 

 

Because it’s all in his head. Ghosts don’t exist. It’s all a figment of his imagination, and it’ll eventually go away. Just like all the times before. 

 

Right?

 

He clenches his jaw until his teeth grind together uncomfortably, scooping the spilled food onto the plate before carrying it to the kitchen, dumping the whole mess into the garbage and placing the plate in the sink. He grabs a roll of paper towels and carries them back to his room. 

 

Taekwoon is still there, standing in the middle of the room, nibbling on his thumbnail. He looks at Hakyeon, his expression unreadable, simply watching as Hakyeon cleans the remaining food from the rug, rubbing out the stains. When he’s finished, to tosses the used napkins into the wastebasket before he collapses into his desk chair, rubbing his temples. 

 

“Ok. So...Taekwoon.”

 

A hum lets him know that Taekwoon is listening. 

 

“Why are you here?”

 

There’s silence, and Hakyeon looks up, surprised to find Taekwoon with his mouth open, a frown creasing his forehead, clearly annoyed. After a minute, he shakes his head. 

 

“I can’t tell you.”

 

Hakyeon rolls his eyes. 

 

“Why?”

 

Taekwoon shrugs. 

 

“Not sure. Maybe it’s a rule or something, I don’t know. I’ve never been a ghost before.”

 

Taekwoon grins, and Hakyeon shakes his head. 

 

“Ok. Ok. So,  _ how  _ are you here?”

 

Taekwoon shrugs and Hakyeon rolls his eyes. 

 

“Great. I have either a figment of my imagination or a-  _ ghost-  _ in my room, and either way it doesn’t know what it’s doing, or even why it’s decided to come haunt me. Shit.”

 

Hakyeon curses when he realizes that he’s speaking as if he has already made up his mind that Taekwoon is indeed a ghost, and he feels the beginnings of a headache starting. He massages his temples, focusing on his breathing for a moment before his eyes rise back to Taekwoon’s face. 

 

“So, what  _ do  _ you know?”

 

Taekwoon cocks his head, and it’s such a familiar gesture, one he’d seen the child Taekwoon was do so many times in the hospital that he feels the familiar wave of tenderness wash over him that he feels every time he thinks of the younger boy. His conscious mind remembers Taekwoon with fondness, but his subconscious is traumatized by the sudden loss of a friend who was so close to him in age. He’s tugged from his thoughts, however, when Taekwoon speaks. 

 

“I know...You need me. I don’t know what for, but I’m guessing it’s something important.”

 

Hakyeon cocks an eyebrow and Taekwoon shrugs. 

 

“That’s...I don’t know how I know that, but I can just feel that it’s right.”

 

Hakyeon nods before speaking again. 

 

“Ok. Alright. But...I have so many questions. Like, what exactly are you supposed to help me with? And, am I the only one who can see you? Hmm…”

 

Hakyeon yanks his phone from his pocket, ignoring the questioning look on Taekwoon’s face as he places a Facetime call to Jaehwan. He should be between classes at the moment, and he sighs with relief when Jaehwan answers, the phone much too close to his eyes, making his face look disproportionate, and Hakyeon stifles a giggle. 

 

“Hey, Yeon, what’s up?”

 

Hakyeon panics for a moment, scrambling to come up with a plausible reason as to why he’s calling his best friend in the middle of the day. The answer comes to him in a flash, and he stands from his chair as he answers. 

 

“I just wanted to remind you to take good notes next class. The grade of my next test rests in your hands!”

 

Jaehwan rolls his eyes and nods, and Hakyeon takes the opportunity to angle the phone just a little, bringing Taekwoon into the frame. Jaehwan’s eyes widen, and he glances at Hakyeon through the camera. 

 

“Hakyeon! I think there’s a burglar behind you!”

 

There’s a sharp inhale from Taekwoon, and Hakyeon swallows hard. 

 

“Nah, that’s not a burglar, it’s...A friend of mine. Ah, he didn’t feel well either, so he decided to come over.”

 

Jaehwan’s eyebrows come together in an unconvinced frown, but he shrugs. That doesn’t mean he’s let it go, however, and Hakyeon knows he’ll have to come up with one hell of a convincing lie later to explain. The moment passes, however, when the sound of the warning bell sounds clearly behind Jaehwan. 

 

“Ok, well, have fun being sick together. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

Jaehwan winks before disconnecting, and Hakyeon sinks back into his chair, throwing an arm over his eyes. 

 

Once question answered, 999,999 to go.

**Author's Note:**

> Remember that kudos are life! :D


End file.
